Roofing element



Jline 23, 1936- N. P. HARSHBERGER 2,044,782

` ROOFING ELEMENT I Filed April l5, 1955 if @l /0 Z@ Q@ 2. MNM-m@ a@ 4ATTORNEY ment slabs.

Patentedy June 23, 1936v UNITED STATES 7 `ROOFING ELEMENT "t Norman P.Harshberger, Scarsdale, N. Y., as-

signoto Bakelite Building Products vC0. Inc., New York, N.Y., a.corporation of Delaware -v Application April 13, 1933, Serial No.665,863

11 Claims.

This invention relates to an assembly-of roofing and siding elements,improvements in said elements and processes of making and decoratingsame and is a continuation-impart of my Patent 1,913,666, granted June13, 1933. It particularly .relates to what is known as semi-rigid andrigid roofing.

y Manufactured rigid roong products made up to the present have takenthe form of vitreous, or built up rigidied tiles and pressedasbestos-ce- Their limiteduse has been due to inherent and developedfaults.

Tiles are extremely costly to make, require a variety of differentshapes to complete a roof having irregular contours, cannot be easilycut and i'ltted, and require the application of fasteners at particularpositions that are not the best. Also, their weight limits their use toroofs constructed to carry the strain of a heavy mass and in additionthey are not suitable for siding purposes or over roofs that requirecomplete repair.

Asbestosrcement shingles, while less expensive and better; adapted formounting than tiles, present similar andother disadvantages. It isnecessary to 4labricate them as individual units in speciallyconstructed machines requiring the use of tremendous pressures and theymust be cured between heavy iron platens in order to maintain theiroriginal shape. They are subject to considerable cracking inhandling,due in part to dropping, in part to the uneven distribution of thematerial when the units-are pressed and in part due to the fact thattheir principalstrength before setting and hardening is the interlockingof particles 'brought about by the application of 'tons of pressure. Onthe roof they have been subject to considerable warping and buckling.This has been attributed to their becoming water-soaked and swollenunder the action of the Weather and lacking the resistance to balancethe forces created by the contraction that takes place when dryingoccurs initially at the edges, especially under the action of solarheat. The result is a differential movement at the edges that isupwardly and inwardly. Also, this is somewhat increased by the releaseof. strains set up during the fabrication of the elements.

Efforts to produce designs have taken several forms, in particular theemployment of several groups of stones o r mineral surfacing ofdifferent colors to produce the desired effects. This has been costly asto materials and cumbersome in carrying out. n

It is therefore the general object of this inveni (Cl. 108-8) tion toovercome the faults and defects of prior materials, as well as toprovide a better and more serviceable product at a low cost.

More especially the objects of my invention may be partially enumeratedas the provision of:

An improved method of producing building material such as is used forroofing and siding purposes, said method resulting in an article whichis weatherproof, durable, and otherwise well adapted for buildingpurposes.

A method of producing building materials by means of which variousdesign effects and'lines of demarcation can be created Withone basicstone.

A shingle element that is extremelyserviceable, that is, adapted for anytype of structure-irrespective of position, contour-or climaticlocation. l

A roong element that provides the character and durability of rigid`tiles or asbestos-cement shingles at a much lower cost.

A roofing element having a Wholly flexible core and a rigidifyingcoating but in which the resultlant article retains pliablecharacteristics.

A double surfaced shingle element in which the hardened coating controlsthe expansion ,or contraction of the yieldable base.

A double surfaced shingle element in which the surface contraction incuring or drying out isA equalizedon both sides of the base.

A serviceable shingle element using inexpensive base materials with ahardened hydraulic cement coating which is well adapted for reroofingpurposes.

A shingle having a semi-rigid coating, yet suffi- -ciently pliable to belaid over irregularly formed surfaces and of a character enabling it tobe cut v and tted around eaves, hips, valleys and other parts of theroof by the workmen on the job without special tools.

-A roofing material that is simple to manufacplished at low factorycost.

A roofing material for the fabrication of which there is required only asmall variety of raw materials, few machines, a minimum of operations,and only a limited oor space. A shingle element that can be ornamentedby simple means. .L

An element that will have long life and is of a formation that willresult in no excessive accumulation of snow at the intersections of theshingles to cause drainage difficulties.

A shingle element having a coating on one side contrasting in appearancewith the other and adapted to be reversed in assembly tc produce avariegated roof.

Shingle element having a hydraulic cement v coating upon each of itsfaces which will under certain atmospheric conditions have its edgeportions more tenaciously hug an underlying shingle element or roofdeck.

A shingle element that possesses a textured surface of pleasingcharacter.

A shingle element that may be made with any of the aforementionedobjects in view on moving shingle material and also which may be acontinuous process.

Hydraulic cement coated shingle elements that may be shipped with lowtransportation costs because of their light Weight.

A novel method of producing colored designs on roofing sheetsl in whichthe coloring material is mixed with a binder, for instance, hydrauliccement to strengthen the roofing sheet and render the same more weatherresistant. I

A method of producing colored designs on roofing material which issimple to carry out, effective and Well adapted for the purposedescribed.

These, and other objects and features of the invention, relating to theimproved article, the improved method of processing the same, theimproved method of producing designs for ornamentation, and all itsparts and combinations, will in part be obvious and in part be pointedout in the subsequent description and in the claims taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is\a sectional view showing the web surfaced on both' sideswith a thick coating and to which surface depressions have been appliedto form lines of demarcation.

Figure 2 is a plan View of the web of Figure 1 showing lines ofdemarcation to simulate a sheet with a plurality of similar elements inwhich the lines of demarcation have been formed of a series of dot-likedepressions.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of an element having a thin coating on bothsides showing its textured surface.

Figure 4 shows an individual element in which all the surfaces and edgeshave been coated.

Figure 5 is an assembly of substantially at elements. v l

Figure 6 is a side sectional elevation of an assembly of my elementshaving a thin cement coating showing how they hug irregular surfaces.

The pliable and curl resisting tendency of a shingle having a feltasphalt base and a surfacing of hydraulic cement over mineral particleson a single surface thereof, which controls the expansion andcontraction of the base, have already been disclosed. By coating both ofthe flat shingle surfaces with hydraulic cement I obtain certain otherresults which I believe to be different from other roofing materials andwholly novel inthe roofing art.`

The illustrative elements 2 shown in the accompanying drawing comprise acentral portion or core 4 preferably of Waterproofed felt, a singlethickness being used for light weight and flexibility although aplurality of thicknesses are not excluded. In order to bulk the shingleelement, render it more weatherproof and to more firmly secure thecement coatings I0 and I2, in place, the core is given as adhesivecoating 6, for instance, of asphalt, on each face and into the adhesiveis partially embedded suitable mineral particles 8, for instance,particles of slate, slag, etc., leaving portions of the particlesprojecting from the coating. Surface coatings I0 and I2 comprisappliedto the composite core. An element results when the coatings have fullyset and hardened that is, rigidied, substantially in one plane, and inwhich the core is protected from decay and rot by the hydraulic cement.When the surface coatings are not excessive in thickness the elementwill possess pliable properties. The degree of pliability will besubstantially equal in either direction normal tothe face of theelement. Also, it will be light in weight as compared with rigidmaterials of the prior art. Y l

Further, by utilizing the property of certain cements to expand uponwetting, I may provide an element that tends to hug the roof of its ownvolition, and which tends to bind closer to the underlying shingle orroof deck I4 when such binding action ismost desired, for instance,during a rain storm. In such case the cement used for the coating, inaddition to being fire and weather resistant, preferably has thecharacteristics of expanding under certain weather conditions againstwhich the roo-f is intended to protect the building, and should haveonly a small coeiicient of expansion due to heat, to prevent the shingleelements from curling upwardly during the winter, when the upper exposedsurface is cold and the under surface is relatively warm. Hydrauliccements are examples of suitable coating materials and of these suchdistinct types as Portland, Ferrocrete, Lumnite, Magnesium oxychloride,offer the advantages of greatest expansion when wetted. When rainstrikes the cement surface of the shingles on the roof, the cement atonce begins to expand, the cement of course being so chosen as to give asubstantial expansion. Cements having the greatest expansion arepreferred where their other characteristics of weather resistance, cost,etc. are suitable. As the core of the element is impervious to water therain will not penetrate from the upper cement surface I0 through to theunder coating I2 and therefore the/under coating will remain dry andwill not expand. Furthermore, as the core, although yieldable to someextent is firmly xedto the upper and lower cement coatings theresistance of the lower coating is transmitted through the core to theupper coating and the upper coating thus has a tendency to benddownwardly, particularly at the edges, forcing the edges of the elementsmore firmly against the underlying shingles and tending to seal *he roofagainst the rain.

In the preferred form the coatings III and I2 are of the same materialso that if either surface be exposed the same result will be obtained.However, I contemplate the use of coatings having different coefficientsof expansion in which case the elements will be laid with the exposedcoating, the one which has the greater expansion.

Other advantages of shingle elements'made by the process to bedescribed, are that they may be allowed to set and harden without beingconfined to a flat or shaped formation by mechanical means or pressure,as the hydraulic cement coating being on both surfaces permits equalizedcontraction to take place in hardening, and thereby avoids any warpingtendency. Also, shingle elements thus produced may be handled at anytime in the processing or thereafter without fear of breakage orcracking taking place.

In carrying out the method of making my roofing elements 2 according toone embodiment of the invention, a' continuously moving compositionroofing sheet or web 4 is utilized. This usually consists of a base madefrom vegetable fibres.

-while the coating is still sticky, has applied to it wool, asbestos,hair, alone, or in combination, or with other materials. Ordinarily anymaterial commonly known as felt and preferably made up in continuousstrips or webs is employed for my process. I may, however, make thefollowing steps a continuous part of the fabrication of the basicmaterial. 'I'he web 4 is treated to resist water and decay, forinstance, by being fed by any suitable means into a vat of saturant,such for example, as a low melting point asphalt, where it is saturatedtoany desired degree and any excess material is then eliminated bysuitable squeeze elements.

The web is then coated upon its upper face with an imperviousagglutinant 6 by suitable means `for instance, by passing under a spoutfrom which the material`,"for example, a high melting point asphalt isfed, and thereafter is spread out by any suitable means into a layer ofsubstantially uniform thickness. The web,

ing has set, embedded in the adhesive coating 6 to any desired degree.The web withits mineral surfacing on one side is cooled if desired andthen `is fed by suitable `means so that its reverse side may be coatedwithan adhesive layer 6 and a subsequent mineral `layer 8 in a similarmanner as described.

The double-grit-surfaced sheet is thereafter passed to a cement coatingdevice, having fed to it hydraulic cement of natural color, colored.hydraulic cement or hydraulic cement and other aggregates, for instance,asbestos bres or marble dust. The desired material I0 or I2 is appliedforcibly or otherwise, as a thin layer over one face of the web and tothe edges I6 `if desired, and either runs or may be rolled into thespaces between the mineral particles. then repeated for the reverse.sideand the web is passed between suitable cutting rolls for fabricationinto shingle sizes or strips of any desired outline and thereafterpassesvonto suitable conveying means for further manipulation.

In the later steps of the processing and by the employment of propermeans, the coatings I0 and l2 may be appiied to both sides of thewebsimultaneously. 'Ihis can be done also with regard to the coatings 6 andB.

Also, it may be preferred to surface the material on one or both sideswith the hydraulic cement coating, after the web is cut into shinglesizes and yet perform same in a continuous procbinders I may if I desireeniploy other agglutinants, as for example, those of a resinous type,for that purpose. Y,

I have found that a betterv article is produced where mineral particlesof a porous slag nature This process is are employed as the principalbonding medium for the hydraulic cement coating. Due to its irregularpores and deep craggy depressions the sticky adhesive coating will flowinto and ll the spaces of that part of the particles that are pressedinto it so that when it sets not only will a cementitious bond exist butalso the adhesive material will be dovetailed in place to produce a sureanchorage. These facts are also true of the hydraulic cement coating andin addition, due to the composition of the slag a chemical reaction willtake place between it and the hydraulic cement,4 causing them to hardeninto a solid mass. y

Where it is desired to produce ornamental or shadow effects, the cementcoated web or elepassed through suitable mechanism for forming the linesof demarcationl or the dotted lndentations 20 or other designs arrangedover the face of the web as desired. Also, if desired, the color of thecoating on one side may be different from that or. the other si so as topermit a patterned rooi to be made in an assembly of such elements. 4

Figure 4 shows an individual element to which a heavy cement coating hasbeen applied and in which the coating completely covers the mineralparticles.

Figures 5 and 6 show an assembly of my shingle elements as they aremounted upon roong surfaces. Figure 6 more particularly shows how theseshingle elements which have been coated with a thin coating areused toreroof an old distorted roof I4 and how they hug the irregular `ments,before the cement has hardened, are,v

surfaces, and howl their edges are free to shift when the elementsexpand or contract with changes in temperature.

' The shingle may be laid as an ordinary felt base shingle, giving alarge coverage for the amount of oofing material used and ,providing aninexpensive roong `material but, however, having rigidity andiireproofness-to be a distinct advance over the ordinary felt baseshingle and be laid to the weather and when the coating on one sidecontrasts in appearance with that on the opposite side, for instance, bydifferent texture, design, or color, many varied eiects may be producedupon a roofing surface.

In securing these shingles, short inexpensive nails 22 may be used dueto the relative thinness of the shingle, and they may be inserted at anypoint where most effective. l This is not true in the prior art tilesbecause they are thicker, and more massive and the short inexpensivenails I use either would not reach the roof deck or would not penetratethe deck sufliciently to firmly Isecure them in place. Also, becausethereiis a considerable portion of the nail above the roof deck in athick tile, the effective moment of any force tending to move' the tileis greatly increased over a thin shingle lying iiat against the roofdeck. Further than this, with the arched tiles of the prior art,`it isimpossible to always strike Y a nail at the places where nails might bedesirable and at the same time vget any hold on the roof' deck. On theother hand, in my shingle the nails may be driven at any desired point.

A great advantage of my shingles is that only one shape of shingle needbe delivered to a job and that they may be reversed where the surfacecoatings are of contrasting effect to produce variegated'- effects. Itis impossible to make a complete roof of one shape of the rigid tile, asthe type suitable for the main bodyfof the roof cannot be made to fitall of the hips, valleys and projections. The semi-rigid shingles of thepresent invention, however, can easily be adapted to roof decks andother surfaces which have irregularities, such as, for example, chimneysand dormers which must be properly flashed. My shingle of the typedescribed can readily be cut and formed to fit by the roofer without anyspecial bending and cutting machines, serving as a flashing in itself byreason of its pliability and wide nailing range.

Also because of the excellent shock absorptive core and excellentanchorage, provided, the points of the nails will not fracture thecoated area surrounding its head and also the cement coating willprovide a compression area beneath the head of the nail to resistsquashing or shearing of the shingle by the nail or its applying means.

From a consideration of the foregoing description of my invention andprocess, ,it can be readily seen that I am' enabled to use inexpensivema terials and a rapid process and that I yet produce a vastly improvedproduct at a lower price than has heretofore'been practicable.

It is evident that many changes may be made in the shingle elements andthe process of making same, it is therefore desired that the inventionbe construed including equivalents and as broadly as the claims taken inconjunction with the prior art, may allow.

I claim:

l. Roofing material comprising a flexible composition web and a hardenedhydraulic cement surfacing on both sides of said web,- said surfacingsproducing rigidifed roofing material, characterized by a tendency tocurl downwardly under the effect of moisture when laid.

2. Roofing and siding comprising a fibrous web, surface rougheningmaterial on the opposite faces of said web and a rigidifying coatingcomprising hydraulic cement on said roughening material on each of saidfaces, thereby forming substantially rigid roofing materialcharacterized by substantial resistance to shattering in normalhandling.

3. Semi-rigid roofing material comprising a Waterproof fibrous base,mineral particles adhesively fixed to both sides of said base, and athin hydraulic cement coating covering the mineral particles on bothsides of said base and bonded by the latter to said base, therebyforming reversible roong material having a substantially equal degree ofpliability and resistance to curling in either direction normal to thecoating.

4. Building elements comprising aexible flbrous core, mineral particlesadhesively xed to said core and a coating comprising hydraulic cementsurrounding said core and said mineral particles, thereby formingrlgidied elements characterized by substantial resistance toshatteringyk in normal handling.

5. Substantially fiat roofing material comprising a yieldablecomposition web and a coating on both sides of said web, said coatingcomprising the hardened product of an inorganic substantially waterinsoluble pulverulent material, said pulverulent material being settableby chemical reaction in the presence of the liquid and in the absence offree oxygen, said coating producing rigidiled roofing material *thatwill resist upward warping at its butt edges and that is characterizedby a tendency under the action of the weather to curl toward its supportwhen laid.

6. Building material comprising a composition layer, crushed mineralslag surfacing adhesively anchored to each side of said compositionlayer and a coating of a binding material covering said mineralsurfacing and chemically combined therewith to form substantially rigidmaterial characterized by resistance to shattering in normal handling.,f

7. Roofing material comprising a composition base, mineral particles onsaid base and ahydraulic cement coating covering and wholly above saidmineral particles on the opposite faces thereof and depressions on saidhydraulic cement coating producing permanent shadow effects.

8. A plurality of substantially fiat rigidied shingle elements assembledon a roofing surface to form a highly weather and re resistantstructure, each element comprising an exposed and a concealed layer ofhydraulic cement anchored to an intermediate mineral coated compositionbase, the concealed layer and intermediate base having the property ofresisting the expansion of the exposed layer under certain atmosphericconditions so as to cause said concealed layer to direct a downwardpressure at its edges to form an improved seal with the underlyingsurface in contact therewith.

9. Shingle elements assembled on a roof, each element comprising anvexposed and a concealed layer comprising hydraulic cement anchored to anintermediate mineral coated composition base, said exposed and concealedlayers each having a different coefficient of expansion, and saidelements being laid with their layer of least unit expansion inconcealed position so as to cause said layer under certain atmosphericconditions affecting the upper layer to direct a downward pressure atits bounding edges to form an improved seal with the underlying surfacein contact therewith.

10. Building material comprising a flexible water resistant layer havingan upper and a lower face, a surfacing of set coating material on eachof said faces, said upper surface coating to be exposed when thematerial is laid and having the property of expansion upon wetting andsaid lower. surface coating to be concealed when the material is laidand characterized by a resistance to said expansion of the exposedcoating whereby a downward pressure of the material at the edges ,of thelower face may be obtained under atmospheric conditions providing saidexpansion of the upper surface coating.'

11. Building material comprising a flexible water resistant layer, asurfacing of set coating material on the upper and lower sides of saidlayer, each of said surface coatings having the property of expansionupon wetting and the upper of said surface coatings which is tobeexposed when the material is laid having a coefficient of expansion uponwetting greater than the lower layer.

NORMAN P. HARSHBERGER.

